I'm actually glad

[Albert]

I usually prefer to calm down before giving an evaluation of what I've seen in regard to football, but for once it feels worthwhile to just let some blunt, as it comes honesty speak. 

I am surprisingly neither surprised or disappointed with that result to be honest. Watched it, I actually giggled watching the first goal. It was just surreal, but nearly the perfect summation of everything that has gone wrong. I would say perfect, but that honour goes to the Birmingham match. 

It's somewhat poetic that our dreams of promotion were finally put out, an act of mercy to be blunt about it, with the same fixture that saw us leave the Premier League as unceremoniously. Such an amazing youngster being at fault for an early goal, and such an experienced goalscorer putting in such a poor penalty only add to the showpiece that was. 

The thing about it all though was, things have gone wrong this season. We've lost Thorne, our biggest signing since coming down, our biggest signing since Claude Davis if memory serves me right, for the vast majority of the season. We've had quite an injury crisis, we've kept losing key players in key positions. It's been a tight season, and we still mustered a would be record for points to miss the playoffs, if that honour didn't ultimately go to Wolves. Yet, that wasn't the problem. That was never the problem. Even at the bottom of the pit in terms of such crises, it was seemingly never the issue. The issue was the complete gutlessness we've witnessed whenever the side even risked achieving something. This isn't new to this season either, we did it last season too, both in the League, then at Wembley. 

Not to be harsh about it, but how else is it meant to be put? The side is gutless. There is nothing wrong with the quality, the depth, the style of play. It all comes back to the key point that when something is on the line, they just lose it. They choked when faced with promotion, there is no nice way of putting it. When the pressure was on, and they were left even battling for the playoffs, did they lift and put in what could only be classified as lower midtable form to at least secure that? Of course not, Relegation form (0.92 points per game, that's ~42-43 points over a season) for the last over a quarter of the season is what we witnessed. 

We made it to first a few times this season, but what followed was pretty consistent:

First Time: Two losses on the bounce

Second Time: 7 points from the next 5 games (1.4 points per game, lower mid table form)

Third Time: 15 points from the final 14 games (1.1 points per game, pretty much relegation form)

I don't know, maybe I'm being harsh, but that's a pretty drastic form drop each time. Being top should instill confidence and a sense of pride in the side, not seem them panic and lose confidence. The thing is though, it's not new. We saw the exact same thing last season. When we faced Burnley, we had it on a plate, a win sent us into the Autos, last season's equivalent of hitting top spot. It was there, it was in our hands. We all know what happened, and even ignoring it, what followed? 8 points in 7 games, 8 points in 8 games if we include the Burnley match. We were firmly embedded in the playoffs though, so no worries there, the side recovered and returned to form, 5 wins in 6 games at 2.7 points per game. 

What about last seasons playoffs then? We looked nervy at Brighton, but somehow came out with a lead there. We had breathing room playing away though, we always had a chance to fix any damage. At home, less pressure, already with a lead, we destroyed them, one of the best performances of the season. At Wembley though, the one off? We as we have so many times this season, played nice stuff, but ultimately looked toothless, and were the creators of our own demise. 

I don't know, it just seems to reek of a fear of success. It's happened too many times, too consistently, and too drastically for me to keep putting the thought to the back of my mind. People keep going on about rumours of things, whether that be backroom problems, McClaren leaving and so forth, and maybe there's an element of that, and I wouldn't be surprised if another snatching failure from the jaws of victory moment even spawned such, but I ultimately get the feeling our biggest problems aren't on the pitch. 

Whatever next season brings, squad changes, management changes, whatever happens this summer, I think our biggest issues are with being able to revel in success, and not fear it. There are some fantastic players at this club, and I hope most of them are still here next season. So long as we collapse when chasing something, it's all going to end in tears. 

Oh well, bring on next season. 

[-JW-]

I blame you and your silly graphs.

[RamNut]

There are loads of problems and they are not easily fixable.

lack of belief, lack of winners etc are two of them.

lack of quality is another.

[Subman]

The way I see it after Big Macs interview on Radio Derby was he clearly had an issue with the people upstairs. 

Anyway what's done is done and I wish him well for the last 3 games of the season.

[Makedoh]

Oh what did he say about those upstairs didn't get chance to listen ?

[needles]

The style of play we know and love has been missing for 3 months or more. Gutless, I can't really have. Rudderless more like.

[ramblur]

One thing that struck me was that Mac constantly said that they didn't look at tables,yet every time we hit the top he started talking about whether we could handle being top,almost as though we had to approach games differently.I wondered at the time if it was a good idea putting this kind of stuff into players minds -I'd rather we just treated the next match like the others that had got us there in the first place.

Whatever he actually said to the players didn't seem to work because we seemed to topple each time.

[Van der MoodHoover]

One thing that struck me was that Mac constantly said that they didn't look at tables,yet every time we hit the top he started talking about whether we could handle being top,almost as though we had to approach games differently.I wondered at the time if it was a good idea putting this kind of stuff into players minds -I'd rather we just treated the next match like the others that had got us there in the first place.

Whatever he actually said to the players didn't seem to work because we seemed to topple each time.

​He has also said they concentrate on performances and the results will come - he said that i think after the 5-0 against wolves. No wonder he has looked miserable since christmas then as decent performances have been few indeed. The only match i think i enjoyed was bournemouth away.

[ilkleyram]

Albert - I think you make some good points but I don't think that 'gutless' is fair.  Without thinking too hard performances at Rotherham, Huddersfield and Millwall come to mind where large deficits were brought back to earn points in performances full of guts and bravery. Wigan was another game won on the back of a tough performance on a difficult pitch. Those points allowed us to have the play offs in our own hands today.

Today's performance was peculiar for a lack of passion throughout - I don't think we have seen that over a whole 90 minutes this season.  Generally I think this team, whatever other faults it may have, does have guts

[TroyDyer]

Totally gutless today. 

The token 'fall to the knees at final whistle' to look upset, then **** off to the Maldives.

SM is off to Newcastle and good riddance. Sod trying to shag a bird that fancies a fat geordie ********. 

[Stive Pesley]

I have to admit I had a vision of all the players on ipads in the dressing room booking holidays

[unclej]

A season in the tip flight with even half of this team its current head coach would have been a disaster.   Thankfully, having seen the quality of Norwich and Boro, I dont think that would have been a possibility even if we had scraped into the top six yesterday.

[Tombo]

I have to admit I had a vision of all the players on ipads in the dressing room booking holidays

​I had a vision of them on iPhones to their agent discussing their future.

I think both are probably unfair.

[unclej]

 

SM is off to Newcastle and good riddance. 

​Does eighth place in the championship warrant a premiership managerial post?  My Geordie friends think absolutely not!

[Cam the Ram]

I have to admit I had a vision of all the players on ipads in the dressing room booking holidays

​And the youngest member on the pitch for us yesterday who could be playing for one of the top Premier League teams next season was in tears at the final whistle while others who are only likely to get a chance in the Premier League if we go up didn't seem too bothered at all

[Philmycock]

Didn't Nige sign some quality players ;-/

[TroyDyer]

​Does eighth place in the championship warrant a premiership managerial post?  My Geordie friends think absolutely not!

I don't think so. But Ashley is a bell. 

[Mr. P]

What a difference a year makes. Wigan relegated, Brighton struggled & we bottled it! 

[Ramos]

Watching the colchester preston game, colchester need a goal to stay up, preston need a goal to go up. The passion, the desire and the commitment of both sets of players is making this a great game and i am watching it over the chelsea game because of this.

But where was our passion, our desire and our commitment yesterday? We played like a relegated team who just wanted the season to be over, its the one thing that no matter what has gone on behind the scenes, whether anyones fallen out or whether mac is leaving its just the one thing I cannot understand for the life of me why a team with the chance to go into the play offs, to win promotion to the premier league could not seem to get themselves motivated for the game.

People will say its the coaches job to motivate them but the idea of promotion should surely give you enough motivation and desire to win the game. We were second to every ball, we barely closed reading down and we didn't hunt them down as a team.  If we are to do anything next season this desire and passion has to return. Its all well and good playing attractive passing football but something we lacked yesterday and all season is the desire to scrap and fight to win which is something you have to do in this league. I really hope we sign some players with a bit more fight about them during the summer.

Also chris porter just took the worst penalty ever for colchester haha.

[BOB BIGGS]

Didn't Nige sign some quality players ;-/

​He did and then Sam brought Steve in to get the best out of them.